Materials and Manufacturing

The potential of new materials for the transportation industry is vast and exciting. This includes materials for reduced weight (composites, aluminum, magnesium, and combinations of these); materials for increased strength (for smaller engines running at increasing pressures for instance); materials and manufacturing processes with a gentler footprint on the environment, including recyclability; and, materials as solutions or enablers for improved processes and devices, from sensors and injectors to fuel cells and heat-recovery systems. The University of Alabama is proud of its work specifically in the following areas:

Composites

Magnesium and other lighter-weight metals

Joining of different materials, to build parts with higher strength where needed and less weight where appropriate

Diamond coating of tools for advanced manufacturing

Plastic and composite manufacturing processes with lower environmental impact, and with recyclability as a goal